ring finger

eversince i injured my left ring finger, i have changed much since then.
i am no longer no same person.
i have changed but still walked on the narrow path which i have chosen.
it is my choice.
no one else.

for friends

for friends.
as days passes by, as we works,
friends are disappearing from my phone list.
each year, it is getting smaller as we strikes off friends whom i trusted them but betrayed me in the end.

all left are few but precious friends whom i can depended on.

they are truly my friends.

talk less do more

i have learnt from my mistakes in the past.
luckily friends told me and advised me.
Talk less and do more.

i have been too trusting in others, and in the end, i have fallen, hard.

calm

i will be calm.
i will be still.
in quietness and silence.

too many jobs for singaporeans?

they told you that Singaporeans should not be choosy, take whatever jobs that comes up, but they never told you this:

The momentum has now ground to a halt because of the economic crisis.
But if the pace picks up again, Singaporeans could end up being outnumbered by foreigners in the workplace.

there could be more than three million foreigners working here by 2030, forming half the workforce. That will jump to almost 10 million by 2050, making up 75 per cent of employees here.

It is a frightening leap from the current figure of one million, or 36 per cent of the workforce.

Of the 235,000 jobs added in 2007, six in 10 went to foreigners. The ratio rose last year, with foreigners taking seven in 10 of the 222,000 new jobs.
This means that almost 300,000 foreigners flocked here to take up jobs in the past two years, pushing their population past the one million mark for the first time.

bad blood

Hong Kong comedy and drama actor, Richard Ng said this.

He told once he witnessed with his own eyes a China man pulling a woman out of a cab just because he wanted to have the cab for himself first.

He also commented on the huge influx of China immigrants into Singapore.

He said in time to come, Singapore's crime rate would go up because of these immigrants.

He added the Singapore government was importing bad blood.

attitude

it is just a simple task, but attitude that counts.
different people reacts to the task and have different attitudes.
the aim to do the things even better.
but what we saw is the exact opposite.
they just do not care.

honour

i will fight for honour,
regardless of everything.

Welcome To Next Great Depression

it is coming.
for every success came the greatest failure.

robin hood:one man can change the world

Robin Hood 2010 is not the typical story of the man and his gang of “merry” men stealing from the rich and giving to the poor that we have known for years.

This “new” version of the famous creator is more detailed and purposed.

Robin Hood 2010 starts out by giving us a more detailed history of the famed archer and how he sacrifices himself for his country.

Russel Crowe brings his usual expert performance to this film. Crowe makes us believe the notion that one man can change the world.

Max von Sydow, Kate Blanchett and William Hurt also give stellar performances. This version of Robin Hood is bloody and violent and is not for little kids.

As I was watching this movie, I kept thinking of the movie Gladiator and how Robin Hood falls along the same lines.

Don’t get me wrong here, this movie is an excellent movie.

If someone other than Russel Crowe were playing the lead I would probably never made the comparison.

Just as Russel Crowe made Gladiator the hit movie it was, he will also be remembered for Robin Hood.

This movie is definitely a must see for all action fans as Robin Hood 2010 will not disappoint you.

the saddest sound

Alvin Tan: Jobless reader cried with Mum on Mother’s Day, May 18th, 2010


if anybody asks me what I have given my mum on Mother’s Day last weekend, my answer will be – SORROW.

“Oh, you’re such a unfilial son!” one will quickly retort.

No, no, hear me out.

I am a 44-year old single guy, held the post of a senior manager before but was retrenched last year.

I have sent out more than 230 copies of my CV to potential employers but received only less than 15 interviews so far.

Each appointment brought forth false hopes of employment and ultimately disappointment. How many rejections can a person take?

I was furious and dismayed but I could take it all.

As for my mum, she can’t. Such is the love of a mother has for his son. She wants her son to be gainfully employed and not daily coop up at home living a meaningless life.

I know that she is worried for me as each time when she heard that there was an interview coming, she would iron my clothes personally because she knows that my ironing is out of this world.

Weeks and months have now passed and I am still at home, patiently cutting papers for job opportunities.

I also began to slowly doubt myself – is there something wrong with me? Am I that bad that no employer is willing to give me a chance?

My savings are also drying up and the bills are haunting me slowly.

I can take it all – but not my mum.

She can’t bear to see her beloved son unemployed for so long.

You see, a year ago, I promised my mum on Mother’s Day that I will give her a good treat when I can find a job.

More than 365 days had passed since that day. How time flies when you are jobless.

Finally, Mother’s Day came last Sunday. I asked her what would she want for a Mother’s Day gift?

She cried and said: “The best present will be a job for you.”

I hugged her and we cried together.

Tears filled my eyes and there is a growing resentment within me.

I don’t hate myself anymore for being unemployed. I hate the current policies of Singapore.

It is not that I am lazy but the truth of the matter is many jobs have now gone to the foreigners.



Under Singapore’s lax labor policies, companies are allowed to employ foreigners so long a quota for local workers are fulfilled.

The situation is further exacerbated by the astonishingly short time in which the PRs are granted.

Most countries require foreigners to reside for a period of time before they are allowed to apply for PR but not in Singapore!

Two out of every three PR applications are successful here.

Many of these so-called foreign talents are in direct competition with us locals for jobs. Can Singapore truly accommodates six million people? Where are the additional jobs going to come from?

I have served my 2-year national service to protect my country and now my country is filled with these foreigners, which I am obligated to protect. How ironical can it be!

Is this what I deserve for being a true Singaporean?

As for my mum, she will have to wait a while longer for her Mother’s Day treat from me.

mother's love

when i injured ourselves one day, the first person whom came into our mind is my mother.
no body else but my mother.

the call of the wild

the howling
the cry,
the hope
and
the wishes..
not for me, but for my mother

the nature

sometimes, i have time, i will go to the forest.
to smell the fragrance, feel its greatest, and sleep on the grass patch, glancing at the bright green leaves..

it is like heaven, there's no need to travel far.
it is just nearby.

marathon

i have hoped that one day i will run my 1st marathon.
of course, i have to train myself to run at least 50km.
now my average jog is about 6km.

still a long, long way to go.
still, i have to give my ever best effort to fullfill my wish.
Oh, Yes!

PR

a comment by one bloggers

I am glad to read you applied for citizenship. Sorry that you got rejected.

Regardless, it should be an official policy that citizens should always come first, at the expense of PRs and foreigners. Every country is morally obliged to care for its citizens FIRST. That is what a citizen should expect.

You might not be a citizen, but your sons are entitled to, since they are doing NS.

Most of us resent PRs because of the following reasons;

1) Many of them are just cheap labour. We locals can't fight cheap, because our families live in expensive housing, and not in Third-World Housing

2) Many PRs, once they become managers, have a tendency to fire Singaporeans and replace them with their own countrymen. If you were one of us, wouldn't you be angry with the foreigners too?

3) Many PRs are arrogant. They actually dare demand for the same rights and privileges as citizens.

4) Many PRs and foreigners think they are some big-shot just because they pay taxes. So what? They pay enough tax to cover all our salaries and the public services? If not, they should shut up. We pax taxes too.

5) Many PRs import into our countries the same bad values that keep their own countries poor and downtrodden; corruption, nepotism, dishonesty, laziness.

Not all Singaporeans are good. There are corrupt Singaporeans too. But enough of us are hardworking and not corrupt. That is enough to get our country going, and enough to make you come to our land, instead of us going to live in your land.

5) Many of us think that PRs and foreigners are only fighting with locals for limited jobs, jobs that can and should be performed by a citizen.
Many of us feel that Singaporeans won't get a job if the manager if Filipino or Indian or PRC, because the Filipino/Indian/PRC manager would rather give the job to his own countryman.

That makes us hate the PR very much!!

no pain no gain

bloodshed means nothing.
face them, not hide.
straight on.

still alive

i am still much alive.
much alive than what you have think.
it is good that i am still alive.
oh, Yes!

have no fear

fear is your greatest enemy.
show no mercy

band of brothers

in the end, when i was played out by someone, it was a humiliation which i will never ever forget in my entire life.
that is why i trust myself, and never believe in others.
they are afterall, our band of brothers.

shield

protect yourself.
guard your heart well.

supernova

liberation of the greatest energy.

rebirth

rebirth of a new man.
me, a changed person.

let it all go

Let go of the Past,
Only then you move towards the future.
Let go of the Regrets,
Only then you move towards the happiness.
Let go of the Presumptions,
Only then you move towards the truth.
Let go of the Problems,
Only then you move towards the solutions.
Let go of Yourself,
Only then you move towards the divinity.

do not break

Life is a mixture of good times and bad times,
happy moments and unhappy moments.

The next time you are experiencing
one of those bad times or unhappy moments,
Try your best not to let the situation get the best of you.

If the going gets tough and you are at your breaking point; show resilence.

Bend; But don’t break!

Philippines Elections 2010

Elections are more entertainment than enlightenment in the Philippines.
Every night, candidates travel from town to town in whistle-stop motorcades packed with comedians, pop singers, movie stars and basketball heroes.
They sing and chant political slogans, dance and hand out partisan, colour-coded T-shirts, baseball caps and wristbands to crowds of equally enthusiastic potential voters.

Party labels, ideology and issues have virtually nothing to do with the campaigns. Politicians instead rely on the strength of their personalities and two traditional

Philippine formulas for success-- "family and favours" and "guns, gold and girls."

In many ways, the Philippines' elections can be compared to the country's popular soap operas. Behind the conflicting web of personal relationships, business interests and shared histories lies a wavering uncertain mass of shifting alliances, angry accusations and desperate political showmanship.

And, just as on television, a fear of violence and bloodshed lingers in the background. So far, more than 90 people have been killed in the run-up to the May 10 polls.

old friend

met an old friend whom i have not met for a long, long time.
he still remembered me, and called my name.
ah..
after those years, he still does not forget me and i also have not forgotten him, too.
we had a long talk.
time passes quickly when you met a good talker like my friend.
it is good.

well, we parted unwillingly and promised to meet whenever possible.

take care my friend, take good care.

timeless

where time there is no borderless, boundless, unlimited.
our persistant chase of happiness always ended in agonies.
so, be contented of what i have.

time is endless

for space, time is endless.
for us, our time is limited and is a fraction of a second in space.
i don't give a damn to those who betrayed me.

frankly speaking my dear i don't give a damn

frankly speaking my dear i don't give a damn.

calm

calm.
all is calm.
when the sparrow flies over the lake, its images is reflected on the surface.
once it flies away, the calm returns to its original state of calmness.
empty once again

salute

it is a dirty war.
like iraq, it is the war best avoid.

i have been one that i trusts people too much.
well, that is life, isn't it.
however, i still continued on my narrow path.

when i was in the darkest valley and still able to smile, it is not easy, but i have done it.
so, let smile at our trusted friends and colleagues, once again.

the moment of truth

the person whom you have trusted the most played you out.
the person whom you knew for two to three years turned out just an ordinary person.
well, when things happen, and it always do, i take it and let it go pass us.
i move on as i have already let it go.

jogging

jogging.
my passion.
my relaxation.
i have been jogging recently until i have pain in my left knee cap.
i could not squat down.
it is painful.
so, i have to take a break so that i can recover to jog even greater distance.

a break is good too.

your loss

when i told my friend that she did not speak to me, and also did not talk to her anymore, her answer really shocked me.
my friend said," her loss!"

my friend knew something about me that i myself was not aware of.
but really her answer surprised me.

i have always think of myself in the first place.
and it was an excellent answer to the latest development.

it is good.

no more heroes

no more heroine's act.
i have learn my things well.
i will have to guard my heart well.
i will have to check the things first before commiting myself.
i have been naive, too.
my mistakes.

love with all your heart, all your mind and all your soul

when i love someone, i love her with all my heart,all my mind,and all my soul.

so, when it comes to breakup, i really broke down.alas.
luckily, i recovered where i have fallen, and never looked back since.
alas.
it has been a blessing and now i have become stronger than ever.
god has given me a second chance and i should treasure it, cherish of the things i have and be contented.
i have made many mistakes and aim too high.
the higher i expect, the harder i fell.

that is life, isn't it.

light

in the dark, when the light of candle that guides me the way diminished,
i have only my own light to show me the path.
in the end, i have to depend on myself, and not others when i was down in the darkest valley.
yes, it will be me alone in the end, and no ones else to pick yourself up where you have fallen.

take care

take care.
ingat ka lagi po.

distance

i do not speak to you no more.
the rumours died down over the past few weeks.
it is good.
i have no choice but to keep our mouth shut.

alas.
now when i met, i no longer speal to you.
my heart aches, but i do not show it in my face.
i know that from that day onwards, i have become total stranger.

life goes on.
i still loves you, i tell myself.
but i know that it will gradually fades away.

love

love still lingers on..

quietness

i will be still.
i will reflect of the things i have done.
alas.
it has been something this year.
but i am glad that i am still alive.
thanks god!

rain

Went for an afternoon jog today.
Rain has stopped and I thought it would just like any other day.
But it continued on, and became heavier and heavier.
Waited at the bus stop for few minutes and decided to jog instead, despite the rain.

It was not that heavier, just a drizzling.
I continued on.


I was thoroughly drenched.
And I pondered: is that what you got for me.
I have jogged even under heavier rain, but today was just teasing us.

i recalled the relationship with her.
it was just a game for her.
she has been playing.

she has so many suitors.(she told me)
and losing one did not hurt her much, but just thrilling to see me in pain, agony and sorrow.
but i did not do that.

i became even stronger.
i have told her she will be the last one, and stressed the importance.
now no more.
i have thought through and got up where i have fallen.
i have come to this world empty-handed and shall leave this world empty-handed as well.
so, it does not matter much, really.
i do not care about her anymore.
i have since move on.


i emptied my mind.
when i saw her again, i wondered why i have fallen for her.
love is blind.

alas.
this is a tiny, tiny thing that do not hurt me anymore.

reverse

i always do things in a direct manner.
now, i have to change.
instead, i will doing things in inverted manner.
the exact opposite.

the opposite thinking: Reverse Psychology.
a strange way of thinking and actions.
it may work or it may not.

it does not matter, really.

instead of loving her, i will do the exact reverse.
i will not love her.
i will do things that excluded her.
i will not speak to her anymore.

so, when i meet a girl whom i like, i will do the same as well.
cheers, and have fun, too.

revive

i shall get up where i have fallen.
it is not easy, but i have to do it.
time wait for no man.
God has been good to me, and i am grateful.
so,i shall get up, move on where i have fallen, hard

dreams

I still love you, but in my dreams only
I love you with all my heart, all my soul and all my might.
Dreams are real.
But in reality, you are not real.

the search is still on

despite of the things that happened recently, my search for the one is still on.
even though i know the chances are slim, i still cling on the hope.
i still have the hope.
even how tiny, how razor-thin it is, i still willingly not given up hopes.

i will spend my entire life to find the one, the special one.
this is one of the things i have to do before i disappeared in this world.
just one of simple wishes.

but i know the more i like to have,the further it becomes.
so, i just relax and follow the flow of nature.

of course, i have to know that the search will ended in nothing.
and i will be greatly disappointed.

but still my hope is on.

alone

i remembered watching the DVD,"the gladiators".
The general was saying," if you found yourself alone..you will be dead"
but i am still much alive.

without her, i am lone.
i know that when i will get old one day, i will be even more alone.
i know.

but this is my destiny.
i cannot see my future, and i hope for the best.
i have been like this all my life.

so, when i broke up with her, it is back to my simple life, yet again.

i am humble person, easy to be contented with what i have.
life goes on, with or without her.
of course, i prefer someone with me when i grows old.
of course, it is better this way.
but in reality, it is easy said than done.

i have to live in a real world, but my spirit is out of this imperfect world.
i tell myself: i have to move on.

life goes on

life is full of circles.
i am back to where i started from.
i assumed that i have found a right one, after years of seraching.
but it turned out otherwise.
nevermind, life goes on.

i am back where i am belong.
things also come back to normal, much to my surprise.

so, i am back where i have begin my journey.
i have fallen, and i got up from where i have fell and move on.

that's me

i will be still

i was stubborn.
i refused to listen to my sister's advise.
in the end, i was hurt, again.
this time, i had encough and decided to end this relationship once and for all.
my heart aches.
yes, i do love her.
i like to have this wonderful love to linger on.
but again and again, she has caused us pain, sorrow and agonies.

i made the mistakes in the beginning and have to bear the responsibilities.

so, i decided not to speak her anymore.
even she asked us anything, i will keep quiet and still.

it is best to avoid her at all cost.

when things come to this abrupt end, it saddens us deeply.
well, we do not like this to happen and we knows it will come one day.
it did.

now we are total strangers.
that is what she like to have when she text message to me on that evening.
we have since changed.

i do not care or bother anymore.